Light emitting panel assemblies

• US 7,404,660 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2006
• Issued: 07/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Innovative Display Technologies LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Solid State Opto Limited (Global Lighting Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Parker, Jeffery R.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunwiddie, Meghan K.
• Application Number:
  US11/454,822
• Publication Number:
  US 20060232965A1
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 362/26, 362/551, 362/602, 362/606, 362/612, 362/613
• US Class Current: 362/613
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/309 using white LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0044 by the sight sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/02 for inducing sleep or relaxation, e.g. by direct nerve stimulation, hypnosis, analgesia for massage A61H; electrotherapy A61N, e.g. applying alternating or intermittent electric currents for producing anaesthesia A61N1/36021
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/063 comprising light transmitting means, e.g. optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0652 Arrays of diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0621 Hyperbilirubinemia, jaundice treatment
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/10 comprising photoluminescent material
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0018 Redirecting means on the surface of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/002 by shaping at least a portion of the light guide, e.g. with collimating, focussing or diverging surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0021 for housing at least a part of the light source, e.g. by forming holes or recesses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0028 Light guide, e.g. taper
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0031 Reflecting element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0036 2-D arrangement of prisms, protrusions, indentations or roughened surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0038 Linear indentations or grooves, e.g. arc-shaped grooves or meandering grooves, extending over the full length or width of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0043 provided on the surface of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/006 to produce indicia, symbols, texts or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0061 to provide homogeneous light output intensity
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0068 Arrangements of plural sources, e.g. multi-colour light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/062 Light conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/07 transparent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 : Light emitting diode
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/804 : Surgical or dental spotlight

Abstract

Light emitting assemblies include a generally planar optical conductor having at least one input edge with a greater cross-sectional width than thickness and at least one light source having a light output distribution with a greater width component than height component positioned adjacent to the input edge for directing light into the optical conductor and emission of the light from at least one output region of the optical conductor. A transition region is disposed between the light source and output region that is configured to spread and transmit the light by the light source to the output region. A plurality of faceted surfaces in close proximity to the light source maximize or otherwise change the light emitted from the light source.

Claims

1. A light emitting panel assembly comprising:

a generally planar optical conductor having at least one input edge with a greater cross-sectional width than thickness; and

a plurality of light sources configured to generate light having an output distribution defined by a greater width component than height component, the light sources positioned adjacent to the input edge, thereby directing light into the optical conductor;

the optical conductor having at least one output region and a predetermined pattern of deformities configured to cause light to be emitted from the output region,

the optical conductor having a transition region disposed between the light source and the output region.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the transition region is configured to spread and transmit the light generated by the light sources to the output region.

3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the transition region is integral with the optical conductor.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein a portion of the assembly has faceted surfaces in close proximity to the light sources for maximizing or otherwise changing the light emitted from the light sources.

5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the light sources are LEDs.

6. The assembly of claim 5 wherein at least one of the LEDs has at least two different color chips.

7. The assembly of claim 6 wherein the light from the different color chips mixes and spreads within the transition region to produce a desired light output color.

8. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the transition region is dimensionally thicker in cross section than the output region.

9. The assembly of claim 8 wherein the transition region gradually decreases in thickness from the input edge to the output region.

10. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the transition region and the output region of the optical conductor have substantially the same thickness.

11. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the optical conductor gradually decreases in thickness along its length in a direction away from the input edge.

12. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the optical conductor includes a proximal edge and a distal edge, and wherein the distal edge of the optical conductor includes a reflector associated therewith.

13. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the optical conductor has side edges, and wherein at least one of the side edges includes a reflector associated therewith.

14. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the optical conductor includes a proximal edge, a distal edge, and a plurality of slots extending inward from the proximal edge of the optical conductor that are configured to receive the light sources therein, and wherein the slots define inner edges that are oriented substantially parallel to and spaced inward from the proximal edge of the optical conductor, such that the inner edges operate as the input edge of the optical conductor.

15. The assembly of claim 14 wherein a portion of the assembly has faceted surfaces in close proximity to the light sources for maximizing or otherwise changing the light emitted from the light sources.

16. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the light sources are focused light sources.

17. The assembly of claim 16 wherein the focused light sources are LEDs.

18. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the light sources are configured to focus the light on the input edge in a direction substantially perpendicular thereto.

19. The assembly of claim 1 wherein at least some of the plurality of light sources are different color LEDs.

20. The assembly of claim 19 wherein the light from the different color LEDs mixes and spreads within the transition region to produce a desired light output color.

21. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the optical conductor includes a plurality of input edges each configured to receive light from one of the light sources.

22. The assembly of claim 21 wherein a group of faceted surfaces is associated with each of the light sources for maximizing or otherwise changing the light emitted from the light sources.

23. The assembly of claim 21 wherein the optical conductor includes a proximal edge, a distal edge, and a plurality of slots extending inward from the proximal edge of the optical conductor, each slot being configured to receive one of the light sources therein, each slot defining an inner edge that is oriented substantially parallel to and spaced inward from the proximal edge of the optical conductor, such that each inner edge operates as one of the input edges of the optical conductor.

24. The assembly of claim 23 wherein a group of faceted surfaces is associated with each of the light sources for maximizing or otherwise changing the light emitted from the light sources.

25. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a tray in which the optical conductor is received.

26. The assembly of claim 25 wherein the tray acts as a pair of reflectors, each associated with side edges of the optical conductor.

27. The assembly of claim 25 wherein the tray acts as a reflector associated with a distal edge of the optical conductor.

28. The assembly of claim 25 wherein the tray includes a reflector associated with a bottom surface of the optical conductor.

29. The assembly of claim 25 wherein the tray houses a reflector associated with a bottom surface of the optical conductor.

30. The assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one reflective surface is provided on the transition region in close proximity to the light sources for causing internal reflection of a portion of the light generated by the light sources back through the transition region into the optical conductor at an acceptable angle.

31. The assembly of claim 30 wherein the reflective surface is located on the transition region on opposite sides of the light sources.

32. The assembly of claim 30 wherein the reflective surface includes faceted surfaces in close proximity to the light sources for maximizing or otherwise changing the light emitted from the light sources.

33. A light emitting panel assembly comprising:

a generally planar optical conductor having at least one input edge with a greater cross-sectional width than thickness; and

a plurality of LED light sources each having a greater width than height positioned adjacent to the input edge, thereby directing light into the optical conductor, each light source being configured to generate light having an output distribution defined by a greater width component than height component;

the optical conductor having at least one output region and a predetermined pattern of deformities configured to cause light to be emitted from the output region,

the optical conductor having a transition region disposed between the light source and the output region.

34. The assembly of claim 33 wherein each light source has a light output distribution with a greater width component than height component.

35. The assembly of claim 33 wherein the transition region is configured to spread and transmit the light generated by the light sources to the output region.

36. The assembly of claim 33 wherein at least a portion of the assembly has faceted reflective or refractive surfaces in close proximity to the light sources for maximizing or otherwise changing the light emitted from the light sources.

37. The assembly of claim 33 wherein at least one of the light sources has at least two different color chips, and wherein the light from the different color chips mixes and spreads within the transition region to produce a desired light output color.

38. The assembly of claim 33 wherein the optical conductor includes a proximal edge, a distal edge, and a plurality of slots extending inward from the proximal edge of the optical conductor that are configured to receive the light sources therein, and wherein each of the slots defines an inner edge that is oriented substantially parallel to and spaced inward from the proximal edge of the optical conductor, such that the inner edge operates as the input edge of the optical conductor.

39. The assembly of claim 38 wherein at least a portion of the assembly has faceted reflective or refractive surfaces in close proximity to the light sources for maximizing or otherwise changing the light emitted from the light sources.

40. The assembly of claim 33 wherein at least a portion of the assembly has groups of faceted reflective or refractive surfaces in close proximity to each light source for maximizing or otherwise changing the light emitted from each light source.